Wrench.



S. R. AUDIBERT.

WRENCH.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 22, 1913.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

i N M9 0 52 66 mm 0 w J 1 1/ Z 2 m ,fl a v M 2 z W war/a n 7 Z 1.LJILLLIL I 6 4w 7 v I A WI T NESSES llllll STEPHEN R. AUDIBERT, F FORTKENT, MAINE.

WRENCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN It. AUDIBERT, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Fort Kent, in the county 01 Aroostook and Stateof Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches,01'' which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a wrench and has for its object the productionof a simple and efiicient means for quickly adjusting the same toaccommodate the article which is being gripped.

-Another object of this invention is the production 01 a simple meansfor more firmly gripping the article as more pressure is brought to bearupon the handle.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists of certainnovel combinations, constructions and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wrench.Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section showing the rack bar and shankin elevation. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the retaining collar and aportion of the shank.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals it will be seen thatthis device comprises a shank l to which the head 2 is fixedly secured.This shank 1 is provided with the reduced portion 8 and a lip 4; therebyforming a longitudinal pocket 5. Mounted upon this shank 1 there is amovable jaw 6 which is provided with a finger 7 upon which is formed theteeth 8. This jaw 6 is provided with an enlarged opening 9 so as toallow the same to slide freely along the shank 1. Positioned within thepocket 9 there is a spring 10 which is held in position by the rivet 11.The inner end of the spring 10 is provided with the bowed portion 12which rests upon the shank 1 so as to normally urge the portion 7 of theaw 6 toward the shank l. The rear portion of the jaw 6 is provided witha sunken portion 13 for allowing the jaw 6 to be easily gripped forpressing the spring and moving the finger 7 away from the shank.

Slidably mounted upon the shank 1 there is a rack bar 141: which isprovided with a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 22, 1913.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913. Serial No. 756,194.

plurality of teeth 16. One end of the rack bar 14 terminates in anelongated arm 16 which slides within the pocket 5. The opposite end ofthe rack bar 1 1- is provided with a socket l7 and a lug 18. The teeth 8of the finger 7 normally engage the teeth of the rack bar 14 whereby thejaw 6 will be securely held upon a nut or other article which is beinggripped.

The outer end of the shank 1 is provided with a neck 19 upon which thehandle 20 is rotatably mounted. I11 order to hold this handle 20 uponthe neck 19 there is provided a nut 21 which is threaded upon the outerend of the bolt. The inner end of the bandle is provided with a worm cam22 which engages the lug 18 of the rack bar 14.

In order to hold the rack bar 14 in engagement with the worm cam 22there is provided a retaining collar 23 which is held upon the shank 1by means 01" the screw 24: passing through the reduced portion 3 of theshank 1. This retaining collar is provided with a pocket portion 25through which the rack bar 11 is adapted to slide. The rear portion ofthe collar 23 fits within a groove 26 formed upon the reduced portion 3of the shank 1 for relieving the strain from the screw 2 1.

When it is desired to use this device, the device is moved so as to bein position as illustrated in Fig, 1. The jaw 6 is then moved so as toengage the article which is to be gripped since the teeth will allow thejaw to be easily moved toward the head 2. After the jaw is brought intoengagement with the article the handle is then grasped and turned so asto force the lug 18 upward by means of the worm cam 22 whereby the rackbar may be moved upward and since the rack bar 14 engages the finger 7,the jaw 6 will be made to more firmly grip the article. As the worm cam22 is formed integrally upon the handle 20, as the wrench is movedpressure is brought to bear upon the handle which will rotate a littleso as to more firmly bind the jaw 6 of the head 2 in engagement with thearticle which is being turned. If the worm cam were formed separatelyfrom the handle, the only gripping means that could be obtained would beby the use of the fingers and as the wrench was moved the pressurewithin the jaws would cause the same to work loose, whereas by the useof the handle, above described, pressure is brought to bear upon the jaw6 as long as the wrench 15 111 US.

As the shank l is provided with the reduced portion 3 the breadth of thereduced portion 3 and the rack bar 14 equals the breadth of the outerend of the shank 1, and since the rack bar 14: rests upon the frontportion of the reduced portion 3 it extends evenly with the outer end ofthe shank l and will in this manner allow the jaw 6 to pass thereoverwhen it is desired to remove the jaw from engagement with an article bycompressing the spring 12 at which time the teeth 8 of the arm 7 willmove over the teeth 15 of the rack bar l t.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that a simple device hasbeen produced which may easily and quickly be adjusted to difierentsized nuts or other articles to be gripped, and which will continuallygrip the article as long as the wrench is in use.

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the reduced portion 3 of theshank l is provided with a rib 27 formed adjacent the groove 26. Thebridge 28 of the collar 23 is provided with a notched portion 29 whichis adapted to receive the rib 27 when the wrench is assembled and inthis manner limit the longitudinal movement of the collar relative tothe shank without the aid of the screw 24:.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

A wrench comprising a shank having a fixed jaw, a slidable mounted onsaid shank, a rack bar positioned upon said shank for moving saidslidable jaw, a handle carried by said shank and engaging said rack barfor operating the same, of a collar encircling said shank and said rackbar, said collar provided with an enlarged pocket in its forward portionfor allowing said rack bar to slide therethrough, said collar providedwith a notched rear portion thereby forming a bridge, said shankprovided with a transverse groove adjacent the inner end of said handle,a rib formed upon said shank adjacent said groove, the bridge formedupon said collar fitting in said groove, said rib of said shank fittingwithin the notched portion of said collar, whereby said collar will beheld in position independent of secondary securing means, said collaradapted to hold said rack bar in engagement with said handle.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

STEPHEN R. AUDIBERT. lVitnesses JOSEPH F. GYR', VINCENT M. AUDIBERT,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

